Memories, Dreams, Reflections

Jung (1875-1961) was a Swiss psychologist and the founder of analytical psychology, which is sometimes referred to as “Jungian psychology.” His father was a pastor in the Swiss Reformed Church, and he had a strong impact on Jung’s interest in learning and spiritual pursuits. However, Jung was critical of his father’s faith and bitterness. His relationship with his mother was complicated, and he later saw his mother’s many absences and mental illness as the root of his mistrust in women. Jung wanted to be a pastor like his father or study archaeology, but he eventually decided to study medicine at the University of Basel in 1895. In his autobiography, Jung explains that the symbols he encountered in his dreams led him toward science and medicine.

Jung’s religious upbringing had a lifelong impact on his psychological theories. The foundation for his theories on archetypes and symbolism in dream interpretation emerged while he worked at the Burghölzli psychiatric hospital in Zürich. During this time, Jung completed his dissertation titled On the Psychology and Pathology of So-Called Occult Phenomena. The overseeing psychiatrist at the hospital encouraged Jung to read Sigmund Freud’s

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now